Experts, Educators, Entrepreneurs, Farmers and Business Owners Convene to “Share the Vision”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Hemp Industries Association (HIA), a non-profit trade association consisting of hundreds of hemp businesses, will host its annual conference Saturday, September 9, 2017, through Monday, September 11, 2017, in Lexington, Kentucky. The 24th annual conference will feature a hemp research field day and farm tour of the University of Kentucky Spindletop Research Farm, and additionally a separate private research facility and processing plant; two days of speaker and panel programming; and a hemp exhibition open to the public. Prior to the hemp research field day & farm tour, there will be a members-only annual general meeting on Friday September 8. The conference will focus on the theme Share the Vision, and is expected to be the most highly attended conference in the history of the HIA. The Share the Vision HIA conference is coordinated in partnership with the American Society of Agronomy, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, and the Crop Science Society of America.

“Our 24th annual conference for the Hemp Industries Association will bring together top experts in the industry, as well as farmers, entrepreneurs and advocates who are creating the future of hemp farming and manufacturing in the U.S. Kentucky’s former Agriculture Commissioner and hemp pilot program pioneer turned Congressman, U.S. House Representative James Comer (R-KY) is expected to speak on national policy, which is a highlight given his primarily sponsorship of the recently introduced Industrial Hemp Farming Act, H.R. 3530.” said Colleen Keahey, Executive Director of the Hemp Industries Association. “Also, we are thrilled to open the conference exhibition to the public and continue to educate consumers and voters about the versatile applications and many benefits of hemp and growing hemp domestically.”

The presenting sponsor of this year’s event is CW Hemp, a member of HIA since 2015. CW Hemp’s mission is to improve life. CW Hemp proudly grows non-GMO Charlotte’s Web hemp genetics by the Stanley Brothers on family farms, and turns it into premium whole-plant hemp extract and botanical products for health and wellness. To further strengthen this mission, CW Hemp supports the non-profit, Realm of Caring, to advance cannabinoid research, resources and education for those in need of cannabinoid therapies.

Programming and seminars at the conference will cover a broad range of issues, including hemp food science, agronomy and fiber science; industry economics and plant genetics; federal and state policy; cutting-edge cannabinoid research, hemp product manufacturing and feature scientific poster presentations. The conference also offers excellent opportunity for networking and business development.